


Predictable In Its Unpredictability

by loves_books



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 07:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8277317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loves_books/pseuds/loves_books
Summary: It isn’t predictable, whatever this thing is between the two of them. Or, to be precise, James is never predictable. But then, that’s one of the many reasons why Robbie is in love with him.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Willowbrooke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowbrooke/gifts).



> Written in August for Willowbrooke's birthday, but never actually posted anywhere until now, because of reasons. Unbetaed.

It isn’t predictable, whatever this thing is between the two of them. Or, to be precise, James is never predictable. But then, that’s one of the many reasons why Robbie is in love with him.

Not that he’s dared to actually say the words out loud. Not yet, but soon, perhaps. Robbie can’t predict when the timing will be right, and the last thing he wants is to scare James away, but he hopes it might be soon.

There are still nights when James drops Robbie off at his front door with little more than an awkward smile and a softly murmured ‘g’night’. Not even a backwards glance, though Robbie watches from the doorstep each and every time until the familiar black car disappears into the night, just in case James changes his mind.

Then there are the nights when James does come inside, when the two of them share a drink or a meal, before they end up slumped side by side on Robbie’s battered old sofa. Robbie always sits in the middle, with James tucked up into one corner, but now, more often than not, James will curl his lanky body towards Robbie, rather than draping himself away and over the arm.

Some of Robbie’s most treasured memories of their time together have happened on that very sofa. Times when James rests his head on Robbie’s shoulder with a happy little sigh, their hands tangled together in Robbie’s lap. Times when James even falls asleep there, and Robbie will barely breathe for fear of disturbing him.

Sometimes there are even gentle kisses, to Robbie’s cheek or forehead or to his mouth. Robbie always kisses James back gladly, though he still can’t quite bring himself to make the first move, not when the younger man can sometimes be as skittish as a kitten.

Robbie can never quite predict what will make James twitch away from him, or what might prompt him to suddenly make some excuse to leave, rather than allowing Robbie to coax him gently towards the bedroom or even taking Robbie’s hand to lead him there instead. James is, if nothing else, predictable in his unpredictability, and heaven forbid they should do something so crazy as to actually have a conversation about the whole thing.

And they never bring it up at work, of course. Robbie and James are entirely separate from Lewis and Hathaway, which is the way it both has to be and should be, in Robbie’s opinion.

James always comes back to him, though, whether it’s the next night or in a week’s time or once, horribly, nearly a month later. Robbie always waits as patiently as he can, strongly suspecting that this is all so very new for James, and terrifying for him in that newness.

James is worth the wait, and they have the time.

Then there are the most surprising, unpredictable nights of all. The nights where gentle kisses become heated, and stroking hands grow needy. The nights when it isn’t enough to simply sleep side by side on Robbie’s orthopaedic mattress, and their t-shirts and boxers are quickly stripped away to leave nothing but bare skin between them.

Robbie loves and values the trust that James places in him, on those nights more than any other, and he is careful never to break or betray that trust. James needs to know he won’t be pushed into anything more, needs to understand that he never has to explain himself, and, most importantly of all to Robbie, needs to believe that he is loved and treasured just the way he is, even if they never move any further forwards than simply holding each other tightly as they lie together naked in the darkness.

The time is definitely coming when Robbie will say the words out loud, when he simply won’t be able to keep them in for a second longer, but for now he contents himself with showing his love in every way he can on the nights when James chooses to be with him. He pours it into every kiss, lets it shine from his eyes with every glance, and hugs it into that skinny yet strong body every chance he gets.

And, unless Robbie is very much mistaken, James loves him too, and says it in all the same silent ways.

It’s already so much more than Robbie could have hoped for when he first met James all those years ago, and if it’s unpredictable, well, then perhaps predictable is overrated.


End file.
